Just Arriving in Stavanger
Published March 11, 2009 | 
Jeff Allen of Sea Kayaking Cornwall has just arrived in Stavanger, Norway, where he will be exploring the region and doing a presentation for the local kayak club before continuing on his Scandinavian paddling adventure. You may remember that last year that Jeff had barely kicked this little party off, when suddenly he had to return home after learning his house boat home had suffered a major fire. Suffice to say things are back in order and he can continue with the trip. Jeff expects to spend about 6 weeks paddling before SKC’s demands call him back. A kayak shop after all is a harsh mistress! Continue reading
Ryan’s Place
Published March 9, 2009 | 
We had a great time at Geneva Kayak Center‘s Customer Appreciation Bash over the weekend. It was fantastic to see Ryan Rushton and the gang that we’ve come to know over the last few years. What’s scary is that I think I’m starting to be able to drive around the St. Charles & Geneva area without a map!! Oh man!
It’s great to see the community that has built up around Ryan and his shop in such a short time. Through programs of regular weekend paddles, a large variety of class offerings, organizing a symposium, trips and the rest he has made his shop a popular hang out among local paddlers. He’s now added his second shop right on Lake Michigan on the northern side of the City of Chicago as well. It’s truly amazing that he’s done it all so quickly. I look forward to getting back down to visit again in early June for the symposium.
Thanks to everyone who sat through my presentation and I hope you found the Prozac I taped under your seats (inside the fruit roll-ups) which would allow you to come down from it safely. And no, not once did I mention cryptozoology.
Road To St. Charles
Published March 7, 2009 | 
After months of cold and snow, a day of driving through fog and heavy rains is actually quite wonderful. Continue reading
Speaking of cookies
Published March 6, 2009 | 
Then we lost your train of thought
The paintings are all your own
While troubles are rising
We’d rather be scared
Together than alone
-bowie
Yeah, well it ain’t all cookies and cream! Speaking of cookies, I hardly ever eat them. Even my little iced oatmeal cookies are 80 calories each. That’s a good chunk of a 1500 calorie a day diet. Of course today is Friday which is an “almost-free” day. So I’m allowed to have a cookie if I want it. Oh the excitement of it all! In fact I was so excited that I discovered a new way to dip a cookie in coffee… Just trip down the stairs. The cookie hits the floor first, then a big splash of coffee lands on the cookie. It works a real treat! Well, at least tomorrow I have Geneva Kayaks Customer Appreciation Day to look forward to!! Continue reading
dark skies, march wind
Published March 5, 2009 | 
I had hoped for sun but that hope faded quickly as thick dark clouds continued to pour over the horizon. What’s more the wind began to howl out of the south kicking up the straight north south channel of Lake Columbia filling it with pushy waves and cats paws. I ran with the waves up to the power plant and tucked in behind to see if the outflow offered anything to play in. . Of course compared to what the power station in Sdot Yam has to offer, this little puppy is pretty disappointing. The best you can do is sit on the eddy line and spin. Continue reading
Posted in My Paddling, My Weird Life, Paddling, Repairs & Modifications | 
lake columbia, portage, wisconsinmantle of the rebellious proletariat
Published March 5, 2009 | 
Rebel rebel, youve torn your dress
Rebel rebel, your face is a mess
Rebel rebel, how could they know?
Hot tramp, I love you so!
-bowie
Sometimes you just have to say, F*ck it!, I’m going paddling. That’s exactly what I’ve been telling myself all week. Well, it’s Thursday now. If I wait until tomorrow it’s Friday. The end of the week. That means I’ll have given in to conformity & responsibility by working all week instead of instigating my own little minor rebellion against the man. I will instead simply take a TGIF paddle! A Sameo-Sameo paddle! A SSDD paddle! A Monday Monkey Lives For The Weekend Paddle! How can I live with myself!? Continue reading
Six is having problems
Adjusting to his clone status
Have to put him on a shelf
All day long we hear
him crying so loud
I just wanna be myself
I just wanna be myself
I just wanna be myself
– alice cooper
Pardon me while I take a paddle in the sea of blogging narcissism today. Call it “Blogging inward”. So.., I’ve come to a realization. I think. Blogs are repetitive. Not only within themselves, (Self indulgent bloggers such as myself often live in the echo chamber of one’s own views and those of the folks that comment.) but within our genre as well. Especially if we take it upon ourselves to report the “latest”. That troubles me a bit. I used to spend much more time reporting on paddling news stories, press releases and the like. I still do occasionally. However, I also know that the stories are covered all over the blogosphere. There are days when I see the same story in my favorite blogs, feeds, company newsletters, paddle mailing groups, yahoo groups, various discussion boards and such, it gets a bit, well, boring. Continue reading →